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Aug 22
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Hurtigruten Coastal Vessels To Become Hybrid Expedition Cruise Ships

By | 2019 Newsletter week 34 | No Comments

Through important makeovers, three Hurtigruten coastal vessels will be transformed to hybrid powered expedition cruise ships.

Equipped with battery packs and other green technology, the three ships will operate year-round expedition cruises along the Norwegian coast from 2021 on yet to be disclosed itineraries.

Hurtigruten will no longer be the only company to operate the coastal ferry service, once Kystlink steps in with its four new ships in January 2021. Hurtigruten has always seen this as an opportunity, especially now that the interest in expedition-style cruising is so big.

As they are transformed into expedition cruise ships, the current TROLLFJORD, FINNMARKEN and MIDNATSOL, will be renamed MAUD, OTTO SVERDRUP and EIRIK RAUDE.

OTTO SVERDRUP will have battery packs installed during a 2020 yard stay, with a letter of intent for the same battery installation on MAUD and EIRIK RAUDE in 2021. The battery packs will support the ships engines, and drastically cut emissions.

The three ships will also be equipped for shore power and will get substantially upgraded low-emission engines, complying with all known and upcoming regulations (Tier3).

Nov 22
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LBG To Power Hurtigruten Ships

By | 2018 Newsletter week 47 | No Comments

By 2021, Hurtigruten plans to operate at least six of its ships on a combination of biogas, LNG and large battery packs.

The company will introduce liquified biogas (LBG), which is a fossil-free, renewable gas produced from dead fish and other organic waste.

Biogas is already used as fuel in small parts of the transport sector, especially in buses. Northern Europe and Norway, which has large fishery and forestry sectors that produces a steady volume of organic waste, has a unique opportunity to become world leader in biogas production.

Note from the editor: Interestingly Hurtigruten uses several times the word ‘cruise ship’ in its communication. Not so long ago the word ‘cruise’ was something they preferred not to be associated with. They always referred to the ‘coastal voyage’.

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Jun 14
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Being A Customer, Hurtigruten Becomes Owner Of The Kleven Yard Too

By | 2018 Newsletter Week 24 | No Comments

Hurtigruten has decided to buy all remaining shares of the shipyard where their two expedition-style ships are under construction.

Together with other investors, Hurtigruten already jumped to the rescue of the yard at the end of last year.

Now Hurtigruten-owned company KVE Holding AS takes over 100% of the shares in Kleven Verft AS, Kleven Maritime Contracting AS and Kleven Maritime Technology AS.

Photo: Hurtigruten

Apr 26
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Rolls-Royce And Hurtigruten Team Up For Major Environmental Upgrade Of Nine Ships

By | 2018 Newsletter Week 17 | No Comments

Hurtigruten has signed a Letter of Intent with Rolls-Royce for a major environmental upgrade programme to hybrid power. The main engines on up to nine ships will switch from diesel to LNG and the upgrade will also include installation of a hybrid battery system.

Hurtigruten was recently awarded licenses by the Norwegian Government for seven out of 11 coastal ferry routes. One of the key requirements from the Government of the route’s operator was a reduction in CO2-emissions. With its plans for a major upgrade, Hurtigruten will be able to continue operating its existing fleet on the route and at the same time meet these new stricter environmental demands.

Photo: Mike Louagie

Mar 29
2

Hurtigruten Will Have To Share The Norwegian Coastal Contract

By | 2018 Newsletter Week 12&13 | No Comments

The Norwegian contract for the operation of the Bergen – Kirkeness coastal service has been announced. Hurtigruten will have to share it with Havila.
Eleven ships are needed for the eleven-day Bergen – Kirkeness – Bergen service. Hurtigruten will get 4+3 slots, and Havila 4.

No longer having a monopoly could be a good thing. For Hurtigruten it means they will be able to sail four ships in a more cruise-like concept. They will be able to drop the uninteresting ports of call, which they had to call at by virtue of their contract. It will allow for more and better excursions. It is a logic continuation of what Hurtigruten already started to change the last couple of years, with more focus on destination-driven activities and excursions.

For the customer the competition will probably mean lower prices.

For the environment it will be beneficial too, due to stricter requirements, with a 25% reduction in CO2 emissions. Therefore Hurtigruten will have to adapt some of the older ships.

Shipowner Per Sævik (Havila Holding AS) will now have to order four newbuildings for the subsidiary Havila Kystruten AS.

The new configuration starts on 1 January 2021.

Hurtigruten AS is owned by Silk Bidco AS, whose main shareholder is the London-based investment company TDR Capital.

Rendering: Havila Kystruten

Feb 22
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Hurtigruten’s First Hybrid Vessel Launched

By | 2018 Newsletter week 08 | No Comments

Although this vessel is an expedition cruise ship rather than a coastal Hurtigruten unit, it is worth mentioning. Indeed, ROALD AMUNDSEN touched water for the first time during a launching ceremony at the Kleven Yard in Ulsteinvik, Norway.
The successful launching marks an important milestone in the construction of the world’s first hybrid powered expedition ship that will be fitted with large battery packs.
From the bay outside the yard, guests and crew on LOFOTEN, built in 1964 and Hurtigruten’s oldest vessel, greeted the newest addition to the fleet.

Photos : Oclin – Hurtigruten

Nov 30
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Hurtigruten to have the new hybrid ships on the Norwegian coast in 2019

By | 2017 Newsletter week 48 | No Comments

Hurtigruten’s two newbuildings ROALD AMUNDSEN and FRIDTJOF NANSEN, built as expedition ships for the polar regions, will also sail along the Norwegian Coast in 2019. The expedition ships will come in addition to Hurtigruten’s 11 ships on Bergen – Kirkeness, and will also visit places not done by the conventional ships. The two hybrid expedition ships are under construction at Kleven, and the first is expected in the summer of next year.

Photo: Hurtigruten

Nov 23
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Eight Norwegian ferry routes to be replaced by motorway infrastructure investment

By | 2017 Newsletter week 47 | No Comments

Norway’s new National Transport Plan (NTP) for the period 2018-2029 has been presented. Over the next 12 years Norway will spend almost NOK 1 billion on transport.

Some highlights:

  • The building of the famous 1.7km ship tunnel in the Stadhavet Sea, to cut short the journey of the Hurtigruten ships in these vey rough waters.
  • A new fast ferry route Bergen – Ålesund.
  • A ferry-free (!) motorway E39, which is the coastal road between

Kristiansand and Trondheim. It will replace no less than eight ferry connections. The first goal is to bring Bergen and Stavanger closer to each other.

Photo: Stad Ship Tunnel © Norwegian Coastal Administration

Nov 23
0

Hurtigruten wants to bid for the entire coastal route

By | 2017 Newsletter week 47 | No Comments

Probably it is not a surprise: Hurtigruten has decided to tender for the coastal express service on the Norwegian Coast. Recently the Norwegian State produced an official invitation to bid for the new coastal service agreement, which has been divided in three segments. The actual contract with Hurtigruten expires in 2020/21
Several companies are believed to have shown interest.
The deadline for submitting tenders is 3 January 2018.
Next year Hurtigruten celebrates its 125th birthday, which means they have built up an amazing, unrivaled knowledge. And of course, so far they are the only company with 11 dedicated ships (with side loading ramps).
On a press conference CEO Daniel Skjeldam said Hurtigruten was going to bid for the entire package. “Nobody knows the Norwegian coast like us,” he said. He also added that even without the renewed agreement Hurtigruten would continue to operate cruises along the coast, in a different way though. Some ports which are part of the actual ‘lifeline’ contract would be dropped and locals would no longer be able to use the ships as public transport. In this case Hurtigruten could stay longer in marquee ports and offer more and different excursions.
Who will it be? We’ll know probably end of March 2018.